This invention relates generally to devices useful for fastening or attaching articles to members with a predetermined width and more particularly, concerns an anchor which is useful to attach a support section for different articles to members of predetermined widths such as studs, joists, or the like.
It is often necessary to fasten articles such as pipes, conduits, clothes lines, shelves or the like to studs or joists found in homes or businesses. One of the problems in attaching such articles is the awkwardness of the area in which one has to work. Thus, one finds that they usually have to use a stool or ladder to reach to attach the articles or that the space with which they have to work is restricted by adjacent joists, studs, heating ducts or other obstructions. In the past, nails or other tacking type devices have been used. In particular, a pipe hanger which comprises two nail-like portions connected at right angles to a U-shaped bracket which holds the pipe when the nail-like portions are hammered into the stud. A disadvantage of this type of pipe hanger is that it is often quite difficult to nail the nail-like portions of the bracket to the stud due to confined space, moreover, the nail-like portions may often loosen or pull away from the stud. Quite commonly, such pipe hanging brackets also fail to support the pipe along its entire length, since once they are nailed into the stud, it is difficult to remove them and raise or lower them as desired. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,439,302 to J. O. Erickson, a hook is shown which comprises a complicated two piece construction coupled with a coil spring which is unsuitable for use on ceiling joist to support verticle loads and was designed for only wall hooks. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,809 to Buril, a hanger which provides for hanging devices from wall studs, utilized a two piece construction and still requires nailing to attach the device to a stud. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,784,144 to Ollinger, et al; and 3,809,358 to Hazeley, show ceiling system suspension clips and runners which are used for specific purposes of attaching ceiling tile to a ceiling but are quite limited in their versatility and do not provide the flexibility and advantages of the instant invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a simple, self-contained, durable one-piece anchor useful for fastening articles to members whether aligned vertically, horizontally or at any angle. A further object is to provide an installation procedure that is simple, quick and easy with no preliminary installation preparations required and which avoids the necessity of fasteners such as nails or screws. A still further object is to provide an installation procedure which can be performed without tools of any kind.
Another object is to provide a positive anchor which is capable of supporting large weights, but also allowing easy adjustment of the anchor, including reusability. A related object is to provide a pair of anchors which will allow attachment of pipes or conduit to a specific joist so that the pipe may intersect the joist at any angle.